THE CHALLENGE: RATE YOURSELF FOR GENEALOGY MATURITY

IMHO---My two cents---and no I do not give change. (lol) ---
I think Ancestry Insider's post title can be misleading. The reason I say this is because my definition of a mature genealogist is more encompassing than this post suggests.

When we think of the internet as only the tip of the iceberg, and family tree data only 10% of that iceberg. This rating system encapsulates a very small segment of the mature genealogist standard.

I think a more appropriate title would be "Rate your Maturity to on-line Family Tree Entries." Based on this title change --- this is an excellent article to very elementary genealogy work. This article is an excellent view of the learning curve to on-line family tree entry but not genealogy as a whole.

Saying this ----- To further the excitement of genealogy I would have been much more interested in learning and exploring When he states he really is descended from an Indian princess.


The "Ancestry Insider" is part of the genealogy community of ideals and learning collarborations.

The Ancestry Insider lists his
Gender as Male
Industry as Internet
Occupation as Genealogy
Location in (fabulous and research wealthy) Salt Lake City : Utah : United States

According to ProGenealogists; The Ancestry Insider pens one of the "25 Most Popular Genealogy Blogs,". The Ancestry Insider focuses on the two big genealogy organizations, Ancestry.com and FamilySearch. And he states he really is descended from an Indian princess.

Mr. Insider posted a blog challenging people to rate themselves against a grid created by the Insider.
http://ancestryinsider.blogspot.com/2010/03/rate-your-genealogical-maturity.html

THE CHALLENGE: RATE YOURSELF GENEALOGICAL MATURITYS

THE RATING SYSTEM:
Sources
# Level Sources Check
1. Entry Typically relies on compiled genealogies.

2. Emerging Mostly relies on compiled genealogies and online sources.

3. Practicing Uses a limited number of record types and repositories. Mostly relies on online and microfilmed sources.

4. Proficient Uses a wide variety of record types. Often contacts record custodians to obtain copies of high-quality sources.

5. Stellar Insightfully pursues research at multiple, targeted repositories, making use of a plethora of records and record types. "Burned counties" are not roadblocks.

Citations
# Level Citations Check
1. Entry Captures URLs for online sources and citations for published sources.

2. Emerging Increasingly captures necessary information for manuscript sources.

3. Practicing Typically produces complete source citations.

4. Proficient Gives complete and accurate source citations including provenance and quality assessment.

5. Stellar Overcomes limitations of genealogical software to create well organized, industry standard reference notes and source lists.


Information
# Level Information Check
1. Entry Typically does not realize the need to judge information quality and has no basis for doing so.

2. Emerging Emerging realization that information quality differs. Muddles evaluation by thinking of primary/secondary sources instead of primary/secondary information, leading to muddled evaluation when sources contain both.

3. Practicing Judges information by source type, informant knowledge, and record timing. Applies "primary/secondary" to information instead of sources.

4. Proficient Additionally, learns history necessary to recognize and evaluate all explicit information in a source.

5. Stellar Additionally, utilizes implicit information in a source. Finds information in cases like illegitimacy that stump most researchers.


Evidence
# Level Evidence Check
1. Entry Limited understanding of evidence and the role it plays. Typically ignores conflicting evidence.

2. Emerging Captures direct, supporting evidence and increasingly depends upon it.

3. Practicing Additionally, captures directly conflicting evidence.

4. Proficient Additionally, recognizes and captures indirect, supporting evidence.

5. Stellar Additionally, recognizes and captures indirect, conflicting evidence.


Conclusions
# Level Conclusions Check
1. Entry In the absence of analysis, reaches conclusions by instinct.

2. Emerging Learning to evaluate the quality of sources, information, and evidence. Emerging ability to resolve minor discrepancies.

3. Practicing Additionally, resolves conflicting evidence or uses it to disprove prevalent opinion. Usually applies correct identity to persons mentioned in sources.

4. Proficient Additionally, when necessary creates soundly reasoned, coherently documented conclusions utilizing direct and indirect evidence.

5. Stellar Additionally: Publishes clear and convincing conclusions. Teaches and inspires others.


Conclusion Trees
# Level Conclusion Trees Check
1. Entry Merges or combines individuals in trees without evidence.

2. Emerging Growing hesitancy to merge or combine individuals without evidence.

3. Practicing Never merges entire compiled genealogies into own tree. Contributes or changes community trees only with evidence.

4. Proficient Manages evidence separately from conclusion tree. Not interested in trusting high quality conclusions to a low maturity community tree.

5. Stellar Publishes highly respected conclusion trees.




Review the categories and pick one to work on. See what you need to do to advance from your current level to the next level. Make that your goal. Don’t try and work on all categories at once. Baby steps. Don’t try to skip levels. Baby steps. Commit to yourself and focus your efforts on that one, little goal.

Once you’ve accomplished that goal, come back and pick another area for improvement.

What Level Are You?
This next exercise is optional. It is a non-scientific method of determining your “genealogical maturity.” Write your level number in the table below for each category above. Add up all the numbers and write the total in the last row.

Category Level
Sources
Citations
Information
Evidence
Conclusions
Conclusion Trees
TOTAL



In the table below, find the range that includes your score. Your genealogical maturity is listed on the same row.

Range Maturity Level
6 - 11 1. Entry
12 - 17 2. Emerging
18 - 23 3. Practicing
24 - 29 4. Proficient
30 5. Stellar

The Rating system I give myself:

What the Ancestry Insider calls stellar --- I call genealogy maturity minimal.

Minimal:
Sources
"Burned counties" are not roadblocks.

Citations:
Gives complete and accurate source citations including provenance and quality assessment. Overcomes limitations of genealogical software to create well organized, industry standard reference notes and source lists.

Information
Judges information by source type, informant knowledge, and record timing. Applies "primary/secondary" to information instead of sources.
Additionally, learns history necessary to recognize and evaluate all explicit information in a source.

Evidence
recognizes and captures indirect, supporting evidence. Additionally, recognizes and captures indirect, conflicting evidence.

Conclusions
when necessary creates soundly reasoned, coherently documented conclusions utilizing direct and indirect evidence.
Additionally: Publishes clear and convincing conclusions. Teaches and inspires others.

Conclusion Trees
Never merges entire compiled genealogies into own tree. Contributes or changes community trees only with evidence.
Manages evidence separately from conclusion tree. Not interested in trusting high quality conclusions to a low maturity community tree.
Publishes highly respected conclusion trees.


Saying this ----- To further the excitement of genealogy I would have been much more interested in learning and exploring When he states he really is descended from an Indian princess.